586

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING.

Book I.

of framing ; he has applied timber and iron in conjunction to roof in buildings of a spanwhich some years since would have seemed to defy his power. The mason and bricklayerhave revived the principles of skew arches adopted by the Romans, and in some instancesimproved upon them, and a beneficial impetus has been given to every branch of thebuilding art. Other sciences have participated in these advantages: in geology many newfacts have been brought to light from the deep cuttings and tunnels driven through thehills and mountains. It is scarcely possible to enumerate the advantages which thecountry has already derived from these works, and it would be daring to prophesy whatmay be the result of a more perfect system. Had the great success attendant upon rail-ways been foreseen, and an accurate survey made of the levels throughout the whole ofGreat Britain, vast sums might have been saved, the lines would have been laid down morein unison with the general benefit, and due attention would have been paid to any futureor branch lines that might have been required.

To detail all the engineering works upon the various lines would require volumes, andall that can be done is briefly to enumerate those executed, with such observations on theirlength, gauge of rail, and cost as could be obtained : the government has been careful inproviding for the public, and numerous acts of parliament have been framed ; the first waspassed in 1838, to provide for the conveyance of the mails by railroads; the next which re-ceived the royal assent was in August, 1840, for the better regulation of railways. Thisimportant act determines that no railroad shall be opened to the public until a month’snotice has been given to the Board of Trade, and that {ill railway companies shall deliverreturns of the traffic in passengers according to the several classes ; also of cattle and goods,as well as accidents on the line, and a table of tolls and charges. A third act received theroyal assent in July, 1842, which was for the better regulating of railways, and for the con-veyance of troops.

Another very important act received the royal assent in August, 1844, which attachedcertain conditions to the construction of future railways authorised or to be authorised byany act of the present or succeeding sessions of parliament, and for other purposes in relationto railways. This act, called Mr. Gladstone’s, provided, that if after twenty-one yearsfrom the passing of the act for the construction of any future railway, file profits shallexceed ten per cent, the Treasury may revise the scale of tolls, and fix a new scale uponthree months’ notice being given: it also empowers the Lords of the Treasury to appointan inspector, and to examine the accounts of any company, and ensures a daily train eachway to carry passengers for one penny per mile, the average rate of speed being twelvemiles an hour for the whole distance, including stoppages: such train to take up and setdown passengers at every station : the carriages to have seats, and to be covered, and halfa hundred-weight of luggage to be allowed to each passenger. It also stipulates that theLords of the Treasury shall have electrical telegraphs laid down at the sides of the rail-way, to which several other useful provisions are added.

The Surrey Iron Railway Company , was the first incorporated by act of parliament, andpassed in 1801. Its length is nine miles, and the cost of its construction was about 60,000/.;it had a double line of rails throughout the whole line, which extended from the town ofWandsworth to Croydon, with a branch to Carshalton. This railway was not intended toconvey passengers ; and horses were employed as the motive power.

The Caermarthcnshire Tram-road was commenced in the year 1802; it is 16 miles inlength, extending from the lime works of Castell-y-Garreg to Llanelly.

Sirhowey Tramroad extends from the Monmouthshire canal, near Newport, to Sirhoweyfurnaces, a distance of 11 miles.

Croydon , Merstham , and Godstone Railway was a continuation of the Surrey railway ; itslength was nearly 16 miles, and is said to have cost 90,000/. The line was double through-out, with a pathway on each side, 24 feet in width.

Oystermouth Railway proceeds from that place to the town of Swansea, a distance of 6miles.

Kilmarnock Railway is in length 9^ miles, and extends to Troon .

Bullo-pill , or Forest of Fean Railway, is in length miles ; it commences on the Severn,near the town of Neconham; there are three short lines to various coal-mines in theforest.

The Severn and Wye Railway connects the two rivers; the extent, including its ninebranches, is 26 miles.

Monmouth Railway proceeds from that town to a place in the Forest of Dean , calledHowler Slade.

Berwick and Kelso Railway has never been completed, but was intended to unite the townof Berwick with Kelso.

The Hay Railway is in length 24 miles, through a mountainous district; it commenceson the Brecknock and Abergavenny canal, and terminates at Parton Cross in Herefordshire .

Llunfihangel Railway is 6.^ miles in length, commencing on the same canal, and endingat Llanfihangel Crucorney, in Monmouthshire .